Choices Across Time
by Lunevis
Summary: When Rena is injured in battle, a desperate Raven seeks a way to help his comrade. When an infinite entity takes interest, he gives Raven a choice: to go back in time and revive Seris, or to save Rena for the future of El.
1. A Name Forgotten

_Hello there, Elsword fandom!_

_Many of you might not know me, but I recently got really into Elsword. (Ara is the best okay I love her) and since I just finished my Yama Raja mission, I figured it was high time to create, oh yes, fanfiction._

_Many thanks to a lot of my friends for helping expand my limited knowledge of the Elsword universe and my inability to level Little Devil. You know who you are! _

_I greatly apologize if I have made any mistakes in this piece, as it is my first and I am still quite new to the storyline of this wonderful game. _

_Includes all characters up to Add, since I do love adding everyone in._

The Halls of Water were exactly as one would have expected, given that a being had time to sit down and ponder on the glory that had once been the kingdom of Hamel. However, for a certain group of heroes, thus was not that they had the time to wonder, but rather that they were caught in a rather deadly battle.

The entirety of the Elgang had put their all into this battle that would decide the fates; it was very personal for a certain member that, although new, was part of the family and would be considered as such, no less no greater. All of them fought to the hardest of their ability, but destiny had it be with her wretched hands that the enemy was stronger, better equipped and better trained.

Certainly, if one was to look back in retrospect, the Halls of Water were rather beautiful. With sparkling marble columns settled firmly on tiles entwined with ivory, ivy played a dance around the upper corridors of the palace, the greenery firm as a result of years of neglect. It was hardly an arena for battle, rather a place to greet plump nobles and host beautiful dances with gaudy dresses and ballads played high.

However, this was the dream of many youths, unexperienced in the world and doe-eyed with the prospect of prosperity and honour. Certainly, it was not the thoughts of a certain black-haired, golden-eyed male that spun his tale through blood and loss, who had overcome a curse unfamiliar and rumoured by all.

Indeed, Raven, once a simple merchant with a beautiful lover and a future steady, hailed now as the Blade Master, the owner of his mind and the keeper of his memories. The enemy of all, the heir to his sword, was not one to wonder about things he could not have, and he was not one to keep true in faith and trek blindlessly on. He fought his way swiftly and mercilessly through the ranks of monsters that invaded from all sides, closing in on the Elgang.

He was not one to believe in fate, nor hope.

At his side, blonde hair flickered to and about as streams of mana sprouting from orbs that flickered bright emerald, dancing transparent through the seams of marble as they enchanted monsters and lured them to their deaths, like nature sirens. Arrows shot from pure energy, concentrated from one's mana, made their way into the tiniest cracks between the tightly plated armour of their enemies, and just as the monster roared in pain and anger Rena swiftly hopped away, maneuvering with such grace and elegance it was hardly a battle move, more of a dance, just as the monster collapsed and was swiftly swept away by the wings of death.

The pair moved in harmony; it was Raven that quickly sliced his way through the hoards that were nearing in on him and the Grand Archer, and it was Rena that shot from a safe distance and eliminated any nearing enemies that threatened Raven's safety as he battled within range of injury.

A small distance away from them, gunshots echoed throughout the halls. The noise was something the two were used to, in fact it assured them that everyone was all right. From the corner of his eye, Raven saw the glint of Deadly Chaser's Silver Shooters as sunlight reflected off them, a luminescent sight as he gunned down every single monster that came near.

Next to him, a queen mercilessly murdered every single monster within target with sharp, carefully directed lazers. Her face a blank mask, Eve had been a battle machine ever since she had discovered her new code, hailed with a befitting name: Code: Battle Seraph.

Though some argued that emotions were too high a price to give up for power, Raven thought differently. Bitterness cloaking his vision for one moment, between his carefully trained memories slipped the thoughts of a dress, a smile, and eyes blinking pure. _Ser…_

Before he could fade into the familiar state that enveloped him late at night, a sharp arrow, ringing with melodies of wind created by the speed it travelled, dug straight into the neck of the monster he had been facing just seconds ago. Looking up, Raven met emerald eyes that glittered back at him, creasing up as the owner smiled for just a brief second.

"Eyes on target, Raven," Rena chided, almost like she was talking to a small child. "We're almost done."

Raven didn't bother asking how the elf knew of their whereabouts in a place they had never explored; he was aware that she was the most mature of the small team they had assembled, and her elfish senses were something he could never understand. Instead, he nodded and turned away, blocking a hit from the side with his nasod arm and then raising his sword to quickly slice down and end the being that had dared attack him. The maneuver would have worked the other way around, with a sword on defense and his arm on offense, but Raven always preferred to use his weapon, gripped tightly in a hand he could control, rather than something he would possibly regret later.

To their left, the self proclaimed leader of their group raised a sword, shouted a command-that was met with an angry retort back, and charged the monsters at full speed. Lord Knight Elsword, though honoured by most soldiers they met on their travels, was not at all respected by Aisha, a Dimension Witch that was extremely proud of her exports and her regained powers.

However, the two worked well enough together, with Aisha dealing magical damage as Elsword charged to everything he saw. Though the red-headed boy seemed mindless and idiotic in his skills, Raven had sparred with the male since joining, and through his learned eyes he could clearly see improvement and skill in the way Elsword handled his weapon and held his posture. Raven did not miss the fact his eyes flickered every few minutes he could spare to Aisha, just to check if the mage was doing all right.

_The way of the sword was right for us both, Elsword._

However, the swordsman need not worry for his comrade, as Aisha was doing exceedingly fine. As much as the mage annoyed him sometime, Raven had to admit that she was as skilled as she was rude, noisy, and oh too prideful. With sparkling balls of magic shot one by one, she exploded enemies with a terrifying small laugh and twirled her intricate staff, fixed her hair, and readied herself for even more monsters to face.

Raven deflected another hit from behind him, and then jumped and spun around quickly, slicing down the attacker as he did so. Landing softly, he looked up and saw Rena standing, calmly notching another arrow onto a taut string and letting the weapon fly through the halls with deafening precision and deadly grace.

Just as he looked forward to check on the three newest members of their team, the wall exploded.

Rubble spilled like blood gushing from the wall that once was, beautiful marble suddenly a weapon of destruction as it tumbled through the halls, landing on allies and enemies alike. Many a monster perished beneath the harsh, large pieces, and Raven jumped up, trusting in his teammate.

As Raven leapt, Rena bent down. Their hands met in perfect synchronicity, and with all her strength the Grand Archer swung the Blade Master up and let go. Raven landed perfectly behind her, standing up to dust off his jacket.

"Nice one." He turned back to the battle scene.

"Glad you got away," Rena replied, looking down at the marble mess that had filtered into where Raven once stood. "Are the others all right?"

Raven scanned the area, looking around. Elsword and Aisha were perched nearby, though the two seemed to be having some kind of argument. Looking the other way, he saw Eve floating elegantly nearby, Chung at her side with a cannon loaded ready. Further from them stood Elesis, Elsword's long lost sister that the knight almost proclaimed dead. With a sword in one hand, she held the other up towards the skies as a storm of fire and magic swirled around, forming incoherent shapes. The very air around her swirled in tune with the intense heat of magic coming from her being, and Blazing Heart pointed her appendage at one large piece of marble that came rushing towards her, and the material promptly shattered into little shards as the red-haired knight was left untouched.

Some ways away from Eve stood yet another magic user and someone Raven did not quite trust; as much as he hated Nasods, he was on...simple terms with Eve, but he did not trust Add at all. The man's insane ways and uncanny interest in Nasods and reviving the ancient race did not sit well with Raven, not at all, and so the Blade Master had taken to calling the Lunatic Psyker quite loony indeed. His battle skills, though excellent, were not something Raven would call fair play.

However, beside him Rena walked so that they were shoulder-to-shoulder on the small platform. Turning towards him, the elf wore an expression of worry. Raven gave a small incline of his head as to inquire why.

"I don't see Ara," the female replied.

Indeed, as the Blade Master looked out once again to check, he noticed that he had not sighted the girl all. Ever since choosing the path of darkness and destruction, giving into Eun and becoming the Yama Raja, a noticeable change had overtaken Ara. Though she was still sweet and mellow and all of the good things in a person, the Gumiho was much more cocky and confident in her abilities, which could lead to...unfortunate circumstances.

Yet, they needed not to worry. For just next to an arguing pair, the marble exploded in a shower of stone and dust, cloaking the surprised Elsword and Aisha. White emerged as a tail flickered around.

"Oh no." Next to him, Rena spoke.

Raven just sighed.

"Aren!" Ara emerged from the fading shadows, her hair down and flowing white, draped across nine pearly tails that swirled around as if they had a life of their own. "Brother, where are you?"

The emotion in her voice would have stirred up something in the Blade Master had he not lost so much already. Instead, he simply blocked Rena from taking a step forward.

"Let Ara do this."

The archer turned towards her comrade, surprised by the utter monotone of his voice. "How can you say that? She's-"

"Brother, come out! It's me, Ara!" The Yama Raja continued screaming to the skies, her voice echoing across an otherwise silent battlefield. "Come out...please…"

Raven stood his ground, his face blank. Glancing around, he could see that Chung and Aisha both wore faces of distraught akin to Rena's, as Elsword grit his teeth and Elesis readied another fireball in her hand.

Suddenly, Raven felt Rena shift. Turning, he was surprised as he looked into her eyes and saw that there was nothing but grim determination.

"I'm going to help her," Rena said.

Raven reached out for her shoulder. "Listen, Rena-"

She slapped his hand away, an unusual act of aggression for the normally placid elf. "She's hurting, Raven. She needs her friends to help her."

"There's nothing to help," he told her. "She's always been hurting. She has no one."

Rena turned at that, surprised at the sudden bitterness in the Blade Master's voice. "Raven…"

Go."

The Grand Archer looked as if she wanted to say more, but then Raven gave her a small nudge and repeated his words. "Go. You want to help her, right?"

Rena came towards him, and looked deep into his eyes. Raven, surprised by this sudden action, took a small step backwards.

"Maybe he used to have no one," Rena whispered softly, "but he should know he has us."

Her arms entwined him, and she held him there for just one split something. "Always."

Then she was gone, leaving Raven surprised and slightly confused. Was Rena always that way? Did her eyes always sparkle with happiness and understanding, did she walk among the stars like angels of the night?

From the collapsed wall emerged a figure, not quite the person they were expecting. Massive and bulky, Victor roared once and then attacked Ara, who had fallen to her knees, clutching her spear tightly between her fingers.

Rena, who was running at a speed only the highest of elves could achieve, quickly intercepted. Though her delicate bow was not made for such uses, she blocked the hit and quickly nudged Ara out of the way, into Aisha's grasp. The Dimension Witch, who had snapped into action by watching Rena place herself into such danger, now set the lamenting Yama Raja down on the pillar she and Elsword had taken refuge, and stood up, ready for battle. By now, Elsword was at her side accompanied by Chung, Eve, and Add, and across the clearing Elesis raced towards the scene.

Only Raven stood there, watching the play unfold as if transfixed.

To be true, There was no way anyone saw it coming. Elsword and Aisha worried over Ara, who sat completely unresponsive, and Chung was rather bothered by Add's speech to Eve in the middle of battle, something about taking her apart to inspect her insides, but in a kind manner, of course. Elesis was still across the clearing, and though she fired fireball after fireball it hardly bothered the hulking Victor, who was angered that someone dared to intrude when he about to spill fresh blood.

And Raven stood motionless.

Victor's heavy arm came crashing down on the petite figure of the elf, just as his other came up and swept the archer like a boy playing with marionettes. He sent the female crashing into the ground, her bow strewn far from where it had escaped her fingers when he threw her high and let her fall to the ground.

"_No!"_

Raven isn't sure who the scream came from, whether it be the distraught Aisha, Ara whose head had suddenly snapped up, Chung who had dropped his cannon, or he himself, but he found his body moving of its own free will, as he rushed in just as Victor prepared to smash Rena into oblivion. He isn't sure what is passing through his mind-it's moving fast, too fast, so fast he can hardly breathe, so fast that his thoughts come in shattered pieces, that memories abiden rise from that one night, that one deadly night that had changed his life forever. Had she not laid the same way? Had she not had time to cry out, had she not had time to say goodbye?

He dashes in, uncaring for his own being as Victor brings his massive, edged arm down.

However, the pain never comes. As Raven scoops Rena up into his one arm, his sword abandoned as he had started his flight, his other arm had reacted as if on its own will. The Nasod monstrosity had crushed Victor's attacking arm, holding the stone firm in its grasp as sizzling fire made it melt like hot butter.

Yet, Raven could not find it in him to end the monster once and for all. As soon as the arm had done its deed, it fell to his side, useless. Faintly, from the corner of his eye, Raven was aware of the Battle Seraph and Lord Knight disposing of the wretched creature.

All he knew was that he stared at Rena, who lay motionless, who lay exactly as S...S...had done all those years ago, on that one night.

He heard Aisha whimper beside him, he heard Ara stand up. He heard Add and Elesis move to restrain their teammate, he heard Ara break down and cry.

_No! He's still in there! We have to save...we have to save Aren!_

_We have to retreat. Rena is injured._

_No! No! No! I can't leave, I can't leave after we've come so far...I can't leave without Aren! Brother, brother, where are you?_

He hears Add hit Ara on the back of the neck, knocking the girl out.

The only thing he doesn't hear is the one thing he should. He doesn't hear Rena's calm, steady breathing.

And like that, Raven breaks down and cries.

_Seris._


	2. A Face Remembered

_Hi again, guys! Just wanted to say thank you to all the amazing reviews, it means a lot!_

_Enjoy this chapter!_

The grey ceiling was hardly anything to look at, but Raven preferred to lie there and stare rather than get up and face reality.

The retreat from the Halls of Water were hardly honourable, much less the victorious comeback some of them had dreamed of. For one, with three of them unconscious, escaping was rather difficult. Chung lifted the fainted Ara and traveled between Eve and Elesis, who covered the back and front sides of their party, respectively. Add had, to everyone's surprise, offered to carry Rena, and lifted the girl rather delicately as he walked alongside Eve and kept an eye out for the Battle Seraph. And finally, a grumbling Elsword was the left to the task of guiding Raven-who, although awake, was hardly in any state to help them.

He still can't fully remember what it was like. All he knew was that his vision spun; almost like the world had moved too fast for him to comprehend. Everytime he moved, all he saw were flashes-flashes of Rena, lying bloody and fainted, and memories of Seris, lying _dead_. It haunted his memory, his very being.

Trying to recall the events taken place during the battle at the Halls of Water was like diving headfirst into the past he had tried so hard to forget. All of the El Search Party had tried to talk to him; first Aisha with her own unique perspective, then Elsword with his loud rambling. Even Elesis had knocked on his door and given him the sister treatment, to which he muttered something incoherent and turned away, content to lament without the opinion of the fiery Blazing Heart.

All of the El knew that there was something wrong, they just didn't know how much. They knew that Raven blamed himself for Rena's injury-he did, he really did-but they didn't know about Seris. They didn't know of an event in which he failed to protect, a future ripped to shreds before his eyes.

So maybe that was why he neglected to see Rena. Even after they'd found shelter with a kindly noble who had heard of their great exports in Sander, all Raven had done was walk slowly to the room he had been assigned, and sit there for the entire afternoon. Many had come and knocked at his door, but he sent them all away; to the maid with dinner, a concerned Chung, and even the healer that had offered to tell him of Ara and Rena's status.

He wanted to be alone, and alone he got. Now, it was midnight, and the rest of the household had went to bed. Raven, lying awake, wondered about a lot of things. He remembered, things he had previously thought he'd forgotten, from the colour of Seris' eyes to the scent of her hair. And he wondered, how Rena was doing and what her thoughts had been when she was struck. Did she blame Raven? Was she worried for him?

He didn't want to, but the Blade Master lay awake and fretted long into the hours of wee morning. Just as he seriously considered getting up and going outside, into the halls to face the rest of the group, something most unusual happened.

He heard a voice.

_Raven, _it called. It wasn't a voice he was used to, or anything he knew; it was deformed, twisted, but in it's own way alluring and soothing. It was nothing he could explain, nothing many had ever heard.

He bolted up, surprised. Looking around, he sighed. If this was Aisha, playing a prank...he could just imagine the Dimension Witch, snickering as she watched the confused Blade Master look around.

_Oh, this is no trick. In fact, I am quite real. Quite, quite real._

"Who are you?" he growled, realizing that, even as annoying Aisha could be sometimes, this still wouldn't be the kind of joke she'd play in such a situation. If so, that meant he was contacting an individual that had access to telepathy, and possibly mind-reading, Something he had previously thought to be fictional was now a reality, and that alarmed him.

Reaching out, he found the hilt of his blade, a reassuring touch. Keeping it on his nightstand was a good choice, it turns out. Months spent in prison, one night of betrayal and years to make up for his sins had taught him all too much about this world, and one of them was that one should never let his guard down, not even when sleeping.

_That does not matter. What matters of the current is you, Raven._

"What about me?" He was not one to trust strange voices.

_You interest me. A commoner, rejecting the ideal of nobles living pleasantly and the common suffering. Framed, betrayed, driven by his anger. You should have been driven to madness by that arm by now, but no, instead you remain quite sane and even in control with the way of the sword. Such a life deserves a reward, no?_

The hairs on the back of his neck began to creep up. How could this voice, this strange embodiment know so much about him and the life he had lead, even when his past was something not even the El Search Party knew about?

"I already have a 'reward', as you call it," he replied back, feeling strange to be talking to air. "I have my teammates."

_Ah yes, your teammates. Tell me, what becomes of them? Elsword has found his sister, but at what cost? He's angry. He's angry that the sister who seemingly abandoned him has come back and acts like all is fine. And what of Aisha, the magician? Do you know the power she had once held? She will never feel that rush of adrenaline again. Say, if one is nothing but a former shell of their being, what is there to fight for?_

Raven drew in a breath. _It's playing with you, _he told himself. _There's no way this could apply to Elsword and Aisha. They have each other and all of us, they're fine!_

_And Eve. Ah yes, the Little Queen of Nasods. What do you think goes on in her head? She's quiet, yes. But have you forgotten? Your 'team' destroyed everything she had known. You killed King Nasod without a second thought, then dragged her along. It's no wonder she gave up her emotions; don't you think life is a little hard to handle?_

"That's not true," Raven countered, anger filling his mind. How dare this voice come and talk to him of Nasods, the wretched creatures! "The Nasods were evil. They weren't the people she had known."

_But do you know the people she had known? Raven, you of all people know how scary it can be to wake, alone and left for dead, but she had everything massacred before her eyes. A Queen is a ruler, there is no right or wrong. And a Queen that slays her subjects is hardly one at all._

_Speaking of rulers, what of Prince Seiker? No, he's sworn off that name. Chung, he is now. What a loss, to go from being a prince to someone not even worthy of his own name._

"Chung is taking back Hamel!" Raven knows that shouting at 3 AM is hardly something he wants to do, as if anyone barges in he would have nothing to explain why he was angry at air in the bright and early morning. Yet, the way this voice spoke, it made everything so lifelike. And with life came death, came anguish and torture. It was almost scary; how the voice seemed to know everything. Was this really what his teammates thought when they lay awake, unable to sleep?

_Oh, and Ara. Ah, sweet Ara Haan. Once a nice and noble girl, now a Yama Raja, judger of the dead, seeker of souls. Yet, no matter what titles she achieves, all she longs for is her brother, Aren back. That's never going to happen, you know? Just as you and Seris will never be together, Ara and Aren will never be siblings again._

"Seris? How do you know of her?" Enraged, Raven questioned the disembodied voice, wishing there was matter to press his sword to. He could hardly threaten something theoretical with a physical weapon.

_Oh, I know of Seris, Raven. I know much about her, perhaps even more than you do. How do you think she felt when she died, Raven?_

"I-" Raven faltered, unable to summon words.

_Was she scared?_

"You know nothing!"

_Did she cry?_

"Stop!"

_She reached out for you._

"If you don't stop-"

_She begged for you. In that pretty little voice. 'Oh please, oh please don't hurt him…' And then they sliced her head clean off. Do you think she's ever going to sing again? Do you think you can brush her hair, when it's crusted with blood? Her body dies in the sewers, forgotten and rotting. Her pretty little head, a gift to a noble, a spoil of war._

With a roar, Raven smashed the wall before him. The material crumbled easily, flakes of paint floating to rest on his shaking fist. He had flung the first thing that had come to mind, which was, of course, his Nasod arm. Almost punching the wall straight through, Raven slumped against his handiwork, his eyes squeezed closed and body shaking.

_Raven, I have an offer for you._

Slowly, he perked up, eyes desperate. The things he'd heard, the words he had been taunted with...Memories, everything he'd done, all the people that had gone…

_Humanity works with law and order, Raven. However, the world, creation itself, depends on balance. Without balance, we would tip into chaos. No matter what wars you humans fight, no matter the number of lives that pass, the world continues in with balance._

"Why are you telling me this?" Raven asked, though his protest was weak. He slumped over so his back was to the wall, his arms lying useless. He didn't think he could or wanted to stand up.

_That applies to a human life as well. Raven, do you want Seris back?_

His eyes flew open at that, golden tinted with black shimmering in the morning light, filled with emotion. His head spun, the words echoing around and around, mixing in with emotions and memories. And above all, one image formed in his mind, of pretty dresses held up by layers of petticoats, of a man with oil on his nose and two human arms, of a girl so alike Rena sitting by him. Of a ring pulled from a hidden pocket, of a squeal of joy as he picked his fiancee up and spun her around, in the clear blue sky and field of daisies.

It was too good to be true.

"I...I…"

_However, there will be a cost._

He looked around. "What?"

_That archer, Rena. She holds your team together, but now she lies at death's door. Raven, do you value the past or the future?_

_Rena..._In his mind's eye, Raven imagined the Grand Archer, with that lovely smile and hair golden, blessed by nature. He sees her in battle, swift and beautiful and deadly, and he sees her with the rest of the Elgang, happy and carefree.

_What do you say? Rena's life for Seris. You and her will get the wedding you always dreamed of, right next to the shimmering lake of Sander. You'll live out your days in luxury, a mansion supplied by the people who are in debt to your heroic deeds. And maybe, there will the children. Beautiful children with your eyes and her hair, your daring and her kindness. _

The offer was too good to be true. It was tempting, the thought of being able to have the future that never was, a future bright with a life of goods and riches, watching their children grow up and become fine citizens, living together, growing old together.

Holding hands, kissing underneath a mantle of stars, cuddling together on the couch...things that he had never been able to do in a life of chaos and war, but if peace could be brought…

"What about the El Search Party?" he suddenly questioned. As much as he wanted Seris back, Raven couldn't deny that his teammates had grown their own special place in his heart, covered with battling together and the meanderings of everyday life.

_Oh, they'll go on continuing to battle. Without you and Rena, they are set back in skill, but still very powerful. They'll become heroes, bring peace to the land. It's a golden future._

It was tempting, too tempting.

But could he really do it? Could he willingly 'kill' Rena so that his beloved Seris would return? He didn't want to have that blood, that guilt on his hands, but his past...his happiness...could such things be returned?  
He had sinned so much already. What was one more?

Just as he opened his mouth, the voice interrupted.

_As much as I'd like to get this over with, my time is rather limited, and you humans are rather fun to play with. I'll you a week, seven days exactly, to decide on the state of things and your final choice. Try not to miss me too much._

"But-Wait!"

Even though he called into the air again and again, rising up to look around the room, it was the clear that the strange entity had disappeared. Disappointed, Raven sat down on his bed and ran his fingers through his hair, messing up his usually slicked back, neat and tidy style. Was what the spirit said true? Could there be a way to bring Seris back and if so, would he do such a thing?  
Somehow, he had been so entwined within his cobweb of thoughts that he had failed to notice people approaching. When someone touched his shoulder, he jumped.

Elesis stared back, her face a hardened mask.

Oh. For a second, he almost expected the reassuring smile of Rena.

"Raven, did you do that?" She pointed towards the wrecked wall, where a sighing Lord Knight and disappointed Battle Seraph were standing. At the doorframe, the Dimension Witch twirled her wand, clearly agitated, and a Lunatic Psyker sighed and prepared to head back.

The Blade Master turned back to the Blazing Heart before him, who wore an expression of utmost disappointment.

"...Yes." Somehow, he felt like a child being scolded. Rena would have let him get away with such a thing, but Elesis certainly wouldn't.

"Raven. I know you're frustrated-we all are! But that's no reason to take your anger out physically. Why won't you talk to us?"

Was that disappointment in her voice, or something else?  
"I don't need to talk."

She sighed. In the back of his mind, Raven told himself that Rena would have argued, would have been the one able to make him open up about his darkened thoughts, but Elesis was not Rena. She was not the kind of person to be sympathetic and caring enough to sit and drag it out of Raven, piece by piece.

"Well next time you get angry, make sure no one else pays the price. Elsword already had to explain to the noble that Rena's injury left you in a rather...delicate state of mind, but he's not happy. Not at all. Aisha offered to cover the expenses on your behalf, but I didn't let her. You're going to pay for this, like it or not."  
He just nodded, mind too distracted to hold a conversation for long.

Elesis sighed. "Raven, are you even listening to me?" She stepped forward and placed a hand on the Blade Master's shoulder, shaking him gently. "Hey-"

Raven's head snapped up, looking Elesis in the eye. The Blazing Heart blinked, confused by the torment and swirl of emotion she had seen in his golden gaze. That wasn't like Raven. He always appeared bored, distant from everyone.

"I can remember her face," he whispered.

Whether Elesis pretended not to hear or simply didn't, she turned away. "I'll pay for the wall. Just...get some rest."

Raven lay down as instructed, but he knew he wouldn't be getting much rest tonight. Seris haunted every inch of his being, his past coming back in a whirlwind caused by the unexpected event that had occurred tonight. And, above all, Raven felt it strange and somehow comforting that, even though it had escaped from his so long ago, somehow, just somehow, he could remember Seris' face again.

Or was that Rena's face?

The two were too alike to know. Yet...which one did he truly love?


	3. A Knight Faithful

_Hey guys!  
So, haha, it's been a while. I apologise for that; school has been really busy! Anyway, I actually managed to write out this chapter on paper between breaks and the such, but didn't type it up nor edit until now. I'm not too happy with what's happened; it feels more like a filler to me than anything, but hopefully it pleases well enough! _

_Enjoy!_

_Oh, and, one last note: I'm changing Ara's job from Yama Raja to Sakra Devanam. I do love YR, but it doesn't quite fit with the plot I have in mind. Preparing to shoot out some angsty Yama Raja fics soon enough!_

_Review replies at the end of this chapter so I don't end up spamming your inboxes, you lovely people._

Only a few hours had passed since his strange meeting with the strange entity, yet already the manor had grown from a quiet household still in the wee stages of waking to a grand palace, bustling with life. Maids ran around, calling out to each other as they prepared to carry on the day's chores. Outside his door, commotion could be heard from a certain Lord Knight trying very best to keep his honour, and a Blazing Heart that was dead-set on embarrassing her little brother as much as possible. From time to time, Chung's voice could be heard as the exasperated Deadly Chaser begged them to stop.

Raven lay on his bed, eyes closed. Already, it felt as if a lifetime had passed, and though he wanted nothing more than to throw his troubles into the wind and go out and spend time with his friends, long years of experience taught him problems were not so easily gotten rid of. He kept turning over the words in his head, futilely attempting to find a happy situation for this twisted dilemma the Gods had chosen to test him with. As luck would have it, Raven was not particularly religious. Not at all.

He knew he'd have to answer eventually, that only a fool would keep the fates waiting this long. Having a week to decide seemed a blessing beyond compare, yet it seemed too short. It was all too short, from the times he'd spent with Seris safe and happy in his arms to the brief period of peace he'd achieved from spending time with the El Search Party. Too short, all too short.

This was not the sort of thing he could just back out of. When once waltzed with the beings above, there was only one solution, and it wasn't something that pleased all.

The Blade Master opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling above, his eyes dulled and not fully focusing. The bland white colour proved an excellent target to help his mind wander into the depths of thoughts he had not pondered on for a time, a very long time. Perhaps he was foolish, to have taken his friends for granted. He had been alone once, had he not? He had survived, beaten and destroyed and broken, but alive nonetheless. He'd done all of that alone, with no one to trust and no one to support. But now the struggle was internal, so real and so confusing. His inner conflicts were wondering he's like to think dead and settled, yet they still lurked like waiting cobwebs in the isles of his mind. He was never truly safe from them, much less free.

Raven sighed. The logical choice would be to pick Rena, of course. Seris was dead, and it had taken him most of his life to accept such a fact. Now that he was finally happy with where he was again, why should he go and stir up old memories? Even if she could truly come back, would things ever be the same? Or would he be filled with the crushing guilt of knowing that he, in a sense, had killed Rena?

He couldn't even handle his own life. Whose cruel trick was it to force him to care for others?

Sighing irritably, Raven sat up and smoothed out the wrinkled, stiff sheets with a careful hand. As he folded down a particularly stubborn crease, he passed a few minutes without words as he mindlessly stood up and paced around only to sit back down, brow furrowed. He did not know what he thought of, for his mind was blank yet still filled with his earlier troubles. Suddenly, the Blade Master lunged from his sitting position towards the door, impulsively grabbing the handle. Just as he was about to twist and pull open the door, Raven froze in his tracks.

Fresh air would be good, yes. Being able to take a walk through the domes and open air markets of Sander, filled with bustling life and good cheer certainly sounded better than sitting nervously in a darkened room, waiting for an ominous nothing that may never happen. And yet, he couldn't quite bring himself to face his teammates, his friends. He knew they were out there, waiting, lurking in the depths with questionable eyes, worried faces and insistent urges that he should rely on them if he was troubled. Even so, Raven knew he couldn't tell his teammates about this. The entity was smart; he'd forced Raven into a situation where it was live or die, black and white. And the decision was his, only his to bare.

He trusted the Elgang, he really did. Though they were fair and levelheaded when it came to justice and law, they were fiercely loyal to each other. If he told them of his turmoil, then without a thought all of them would offer their sympathies, yes, but eventually insist he choose their beloved Rena, their graceful archer. If he confided in them, then shall he choose Seris' life over Rena he would never be able to face his only other friends ever again.

Raven wanted to shout. He wanted to yell into the skies above, uselessly blaming an invisible force for all of this—for all the misery that had befallen his short twenty-seven years. Finally, finally when he had found something worth living for, he was once again tested to see if he could prove he was really worthy of such a virtue.

Agitated, the Blade Master stepped away from the door quickly and began to furiously storm across the room, pulling the curtains even closer with a rough grip, making it so his Nasod arm dug small holes into the fabric. He stared at the arm responsible, and shook it with an unreadable expression on his features. This arm was to blame for everything, everything and anything. In his fuming state, the Blade Master failed to notice that the door leading to his room had been opened, just a small inch but enough to reveal curious, concerned red eyes.

Raven stopped in his tracks when he found himself face-to-face with Elsword, the Lord Knight's expression unusually soft.

"What do you want?" Perhaps he meant for the words to come out so harshly, perhaps not.

Elsword raised an eyebrow, a small art he had perfected over the years just to annoy a certain Dimension Witch. He pushed past the Blade Master, still yet to speak, and seated himself into the armchair next to the bed. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

When Raven neglected to reply, the knight continued talking, looking around and drumming his fingers into the plush leather of his seat, his fiery red hair dulling the mahogany of the chair. "The two are doing well. Aisha is helping the hearlers—apparently Rena gave her lessons, though it's beyond me how she learnt anything." A small chuckle. "Chung has a gash on his arm, Add cracked two ribs,and Eve fried a circuit. Chung and Add have been treated already, and Elesis is trying to contact someone who might be able to take a look at Eve, though she seems fine. She'll be okay."

Elsword drew in a breath, his red eyes lucid as they gazed across the room at Raven, who stood stiff with a blank mask. If the Lord Knight wanted to extract some show of emotion, he would have to try a lot harder. And so try he did.

"Ara still hasn't woken. Chung is with her, she keeps crying out for—"

"I don't care," Raven snapped, a little too fast and a little too angrily.

Elsword's eyebrows flew up, and his jaw tightened slightly. "Very well." He shifts his position so that one hand lies spayed across the arm while the other hangs over the back. "Rena is still in critical condition. Perhaps you want to see her. They're allowing visitors before and during lunch." When he doesn't reply, Elsword pauses. "Raven, what's the matter?"

The words hung in the air, thick and uninvited, accusing and acidic.

_What's wrong? _Raven almost wanted to laugh.

The Lord Knight dipped his head ever so slightly, and continued talking as if nothing had happened when a full five minutes passed and Raven still stood stiff as a board.

"It wasn't anyone's fault," he reassured. "Let's put the past behind. Rena will recover, and we'll set out and have adventures again." His voice dipped to an unusually soft lament.

Raven was speechless. He wanted to blurt it all out, to tell Elsword that there was a possiblity Rena would never come back. Elsword should know that the world was not made of healers and miracles, but rather twisted men and war, as strong and steady as any plague. He wanted to tell Elsword that all medicine was useless, that Elsword could travel to Altera for all he cared and in the end Rena's life would depend on if he wanted to be selfish, to take back from the world all he'd lost, or if he was truly a good enough person to put others before him. The Lord Knight stared at him with such a steady, unwavering crimson gaze that Raven felt the words die in his throat, unable to break that kind of faith.

When did the boy with the mud-streaked face and dirty fingernails suddenly grow up? Elsword looked every bit a promising, in-the-making knight, finally succeeding his dream of catching up to his sister and living up to his name. His life would be filled with luxury and honour fit for a legend, a lord beyond compare. No longer would be run up with sparkling eyes and foolish ideas, now a steady shoulder for the rest of the Elgang.

Elsword was the perfect knight, and that made Raven feel... anger? Sadness? It was unexplainable, but Raven's heart suddenly clenched with knowing Elsword would lead a better life than he ever would, and the Lord Knight would not know of the cruelties of their world.

Elsword laughed, amused by the shock evident on Raven's face, though the boy did not know the reason behind his sudden torrent of emotion. Smiling at his old mentor and now teammate, Elsword gestured towards the door.

"You taught me more than you think. Let's go, everyone's waiting."

_Review Replies_

_SharpRevan: Haha, perhaps. C:  
Yes, I am planning to do that! I can't make up my mind right now so I will do two alternate endings. ^^_

_xSorcery: Ohh I love Fullmetal Alchemist! It's where I got the premise of what the entity was talking about, yes ^^  
Ah, thank you for your advice! I hope I've fixed that, I tried to look out for such things while I was editing. Hopefully it's at least a little better; I have much things to improve on!  
Ah thank you so much! ^^ I kinda made this chapter a bit too Elsword orientated, oops.  
I'll try to work on that, thank you! ^^ Raven will get a chance to talk to most of his teammates before he has to make his choice._

_WielderoftheSilverSword: Hhh thank you so much! 3 And ha, I haven't fully planned out everything yet, but at this rate somewhere around 9 to 11. It won't succeed 15, though!_

_H0rizons: Thank you so much! 3  
Ahaha yes I love ADDing everyone in. ...No? Bad pun?  
Ah thank you ^^ And continue I shall!_

_Sh1n3d0wn: Ahh thank you 3 Yes he does 8')_


End file.
